Page 6 - ELG2406 June Issue 490

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NEWS

Taiwanese teachers set to strike

British Council teachers in Taiwan could strike in ‘first of its kind’

industrial action.

urious at having had no
pay increase for 20 years,
teaching staff at the British
FCouncil Taiwan have begun
the process which could lead, by
the end of this month, to the first
strike by teachers of any sort ever
seen on the island.
Under Taiwanese law, 50%
of the BC union members must
vote to invoke the right to strike,
and then leave their employer a
short period in which to make a
new offer, before voting for strike
action.
Since the British Council
opened is first centre in 2004,
inflation in Taiwan has risen 25%
and Council lesson fees are up by
35%. Meanwhile, teachers’ basic
pay has remained static. Following
months of negotiations with the
Taiwan Higher Education Union
(THEU) which represents the
teachers, the British Council
responded with an offer of 3%.
One Union negotiator, Prof.
Chen, Hsin-Hsing of Shih
Hsin University, told the press:
‘by participating in collective
bargaining sessions […] for
the past six months, I came to employees receive a subsidy of Health Service model and it took a financial battering
understand, no matter what typically 10% of the cost, most medicine is free for all foreign during COVID and was ‘rescued’
individual members of the British will have to pay the full fees workers. The 35 days holiday by the British government who
Council management think of around £4000 in order to they offer is over the statutory paid several years of its small
privately, this organisation is qualify for their additional salary maximum of 30 days, however contribution to the Council
determined to maximize its profit increments. teachers and teaching assistants budget, mostly for international
at the expense of its employees.’ Research by the Gazette shows on the BC-backed Taiwan aid work, in advance.
A spokesperson for British that only one language centre in bilingual state schools programme Yet, in the middle of its financial
Council told the Gazette: ‘We have Taiwan, the YMCA, is listed by are entitles to the full 10 weeks woes it ‘is preparing the ongoing
given all full-time and hourly- Cambridge as offering its DELTA of state school holidays together […] global pay review […] which
paid teachers a 3% increment on programmes. Since only one of with free flights for themselves will be implemented in 2025.’
their monthly pay, effective from the three DELTA modules are and their families and an Implementing a global pay
1 April 2024.’ They also pointed offered there, the other two would accommodation subsidy. review which covers countries
out that their full-time teachers have to be done online through The British Council ‘believe from Singapore (GDP per capita
‘are on a ten-point salary scale programmes such as Distance our teacher package, which of US$82,800) to Sri Lanka
and receive a 2-3% annual pay DELTA, by far the biggest of includes 35 days annual leave (US$3,355) seems an invitation
raise every year as they move up the online programmes, which for full-time teachers, is very for more teacher strikes, especially
this scale, regardless of inflation.’ is owned by International House competitive in the market’. This in an era when top-end language
However, a teachers’ representative London in partnership with the is likely true if they see their schools face new competition for
told the Gazette that, as of the British Council. competition only as local cram students and staff.
end of May, the 3% increase The British Council also told schools. However, as one BC EFL teachers can now make
has not appeared in their pay us they take ‘a total reward teacher in Taiwan told us: ‘I more money online or as teaching
packets. They also pointed approach, which encompasses would earn much more money assistants in international schools.
out that teachers who do not pay as well as benefits such working as a teaching assistant at Or they can qualify as mainstream
have a diploma are entitled as leave, medical, work life a local International school.’ international teachers by studying
to a maximum of five annual balance, culture, recognition, Can the Council afford to for an IPGCE from a UK university
increments rather than ten. performance management, and compete? Already required for less than the cost of a Diploma.
Twenty years ago the Council development’. to fund all the UK’s Cultural The days when language
paid for the diploma course. According to its government programmes worldwide from the schools can pay as little as they
Today, however, though some website, Taiwan runs a National income on its schools and exams, want is over.
6 June 2024